Avast, ye mateys! Calling all landlubbers and scallywags alike! There is a brand new event coming to the Speculator region—Pirates Weekend! This action-packed weekend is full of fun stuff for buccaneers of all ages.

Here is what you can look forward to:

Thursday, June 7

Trade Bazaar from 5-7 p.m.

Check out this sale, which takes place at the Speculator Pavilion. Local restaurants and businesses will be selling goods for everyone to check out. 
This will also be the opening ceremony for the weekend — stop by to learn about all of the weekend's events. Feeling like you might luck into some treasure of your own? There are tickets for raffle baskets located throughout Speculator, and this is where the lucky winners will be chosen. 

Flag Designing contest at 6 p.m.

The evening will wrap up with the judging of the Pirate Flag Designing contest. Non-profit organizations and local businesses have been invited to create their own flags. Winners will be chosen based on best design, best advertisement, and most piratical. 

Friday, June 8

Spend the early part of the day searching for your own treasure, kicking back on the beach, taking a hike, or enjoying the Adirondack Birding Festival, then get ready to get back to your swashbuckling pirate ways!

Games at 4 p.m.

Join the Adirondack Experience: The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake at the Speculator Pavilion. They will be bringing some fun, old-fashioned games for kids of all ages to play!

Pirate Chase Race at 4:30 p.m.

Don your best pirate or fairy costume and take part in the Pirate Chase Race. A minimum pledge of $10 is required from participants, and all proceeds will benefit Lenna Braunius, a local baby girl with spinal muscular atrophy.

Rum Cake Contest at 6 p.m.

Enter your own creation in the Rum Cake Contest. Your cake must be made from scratch, and only rum extract or rum flavoring can be used; no distilled rum or other alcohols are allowed. Doubloons will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. Don't feel like baking? Stop down to taste test and vote for your favorite.

 Pirate Trivia Night at 7 p.m.

Join ADKaraoke for a fun night of pirate-themed trivia at The Inn at Speculator. Entry is free for teams. There will be three rounds of trivia, at the end of which the top three teams are brought forward for the final question. A prize will be awarded to the victor, and the rest will WALK THE PLANK! 

Saturday, June 9

The third and final day of the Pirates Weekend is also action packed and loaded with fun. 

Pirate Movie Time from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

If you need to spend some time out of the sun or off your feet, join us at the Lake Pleasant Library for movie time. They will be showing old school pirate themed movies for free!

Treasure Hunt at 10 a.m.

Teams of five can register at the Speculator Region Chamber of Commerce. A $25 entry fee will get you a code breaker and the clues you need to find the four pieces of the treasure map. The first three teams to complete the challenge will win a prize basket, which is currently on display at the Chamber of Commerce.

18th Century Encampment from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Also taking place at the Speculator ball field is an 18th century encampment. Tour the historical encampment where you can interact with the reenactors, who will be in full period garb. 

Battle Reenactment at 2 p.m.

Just across the road, at the Speculator beach, the governor's daughter has been kidnapped by pirates! The pirates and the redcoats will battle it out on Lake Pleasant! Osborne Point will be off limits between 1-3 p.m. for safety reasons.

Pirate Costume Contest at 6 p.m.

Pick out your best pirate costume, and come on down for the contest! Prizes will be awarded by age groups: 0-3, 4-12, 13-19, and 20+. Prizes will be awarded in the form of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons. The local Lions Club will judge. The costume contest will also serve as the closing ceremony for Pirates Weekend.

Cannon Night at 9 p.m.

Join us again on the Speculator Beach for the final event of the weekend. The 18th century reenactors will fire a cannon or musket, each blast of which will be sponsored by a local business or non-profit organization, followed by a "Huzzah!" from the crowd!

Join us for Pirates Weekend or for any of our other fun events going on this summer. If you don't have a local pirate ship to call home, check out these great places to stay and make your reservations now!